Inkwell and the like



March 7, 1939.' 'P. A. W ESTPHAL INKWELL AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 7,1939. P A'WESTPHAL 2,149,650

INKWELL AND THE LIKE Filed Feb; 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 7, 1939' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to ink wells and more particularly to specially constructed fluid dispensing devices, which are primarily adapted for dispensing ink fluids in quantities commensurating to the amount used, in that, the said ink fluid in said well, may at all times remain at certain level and therefore eliminating its overflow as well as its evaporation therefrom.

Manifestly, an object of my invention is to provide an ink well having a plurality of. containers including an ink dipper, which are so constructed whereby in operation only a predetermined amount or quantity of the fluid may be had for use out of the said ink dipper, also, having a specially constructed ink flow controlling means which inter-communicates said containers including said ink dipper, so that when required only a givenquantity of said ink fluid may be allowed to pass from said containers to the said ink dipper and therefore preventing exposure of the said ink fluid to the atmosphere and consequently preventing its evaporation.

Another object of my invention is to provide said ink well with a plurality of containers disposed one within the other, the inner container having suitable valve means associated therewith for controlling the flow of said fluid therefrom, and, the outside container having a suitable groove member positioned internally at its bottom which is for the purpose to engage the said valve means of said inner container, so that, the flow of the said fluid from the said inner container may be controlled, allowing only sufficient amount of. said fluid to flow to the bottom of the said outside container and therefore permitting only a limited amount of fluid to be deposited in the ink dipper consequently preventing the fluid evaporation therefrom.

Further object of my invention is to provide said ink well with a plurality of containers of which,the inner container is provided with suitable vent means including the fluid flow controlling valve means which inter-communicates the said containers, so that the displacement of the fluid passing from one container to the other may be automatically controlled and therefore preventing the overflow of the ink fluid and its evaporation.

Another object of my invention is to provide said ink well in form of a plurality of containers disposed one within the other, the outside con tainer having an ink dipper which is provided with suitable ink passage means extending internally and'communicating with said inner container positioned therein, and the said inner container is provided with suitable cap member adapted for covering saidcontainers, having an ink passage means including suitable vent means positioned at the bottom. which inter-communicates the said ink passage means of said ink dipper, thus forming in combination a valve controlling means for said ink well, so that, when the said cap member is positioned in place it holds in place said containers allowing free movement only of the said inner container and by turning said cap member the position of the said valve means is established thus allowing the ink fluid to pass from the said inner container into said ink passage of the said dipper, consequently only a limited amount of ink fluid may pass therefrom for the use, which eliminates its overflow and its evaporation.

Further objects and advantages of my invention as will hereinafter more fully appear, I attain by the construction herein shown in the drawings and described in the specification forming a part of my'application.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which the similar reference charactersdenote the similar parts.

In the drawings:-

Fig. 1 is the front perspective view of the ink Well, showing the position of the ink dipper.

Fig. 2 is the vertical cross-sectional view of the the ink well, showing the position of. the inner container, the controlling valve and the relative position of the ink dipper, taken on the line 2--2, of the Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is the transverse cross-sectional view of the ink well showing the position and the contour of the valve controlling groove, taken on the line 3--3 of the Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is the vertical cross-sectional view of the ink well, showing the position of the valve passage and control, the vent and the controlling cap member, in modified form.

Fig. 5 is the transverse cross-sectional view of the ink well, taken on the line 5-5 of the Fig. 4

Fig. 6 is the tranverse cross-sectional view thereof, taken on the line 6-6 of the Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is the fragmentary transverse crosssectional view thereof, showing the position of the valve and the ink passage, taken on the line I of the Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is the fragmentary transverse crosssectional View, similar to Fig. '7, showing the valve and the passage in closed position, taken on the line 7, of the Fig. 4.

Describing my invention more in detafl, in its broader aspect, said invention comprises an ink well, generally designated by numeral 2, and consisting of an outside container 4, the inner container 6, the container cap member 8, the valve member It], the vent passage I2 and the ink dipper member I4.

Said outside container 4 comprises a base I6 having a mid-section member I8 terminating with a shell member 20, which may be of any size or configuration, as in practice maybe most desirable, preferably however, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8.

The said mid-section member I8 comprises a boss member 22 which in itself constitutes the said dipper member I4 as shown; internally of the said boss member 22 is provided a suitable passage 24 forming a dwell 26, which in its preferred form is slanted as shown, so as to form an orifice 28 which is adapted to communicate with the ink fluid accumulating chamber 30 and wherein a suitable surface section is provided as at 32, having a fluid flow controlling groove 34 provided therein as shown in Fig. 3.

The said groove 34 preferably of semi-circular construction forms a surface raise 36 having the outer wall 38 provided with suitable passage 40 which connects the said orifice 28 so as to provide'free flow for the fluid into the said dwell 26, the said suriace raise 36 may be positioned at any angle or distance from the said passage 40, the operation of which will be presently described.

The said boss member 22 is provided with suitably threaded socket 422 which is adapted to receive therein a suitably threaded bushing member 44 the center section of which is provided with an opening 46 coinciding with the said passage 24.

Said bushing member 44 is providedwith suitable collar 48 the exterior surface of which is provided with a knurl 50, so as to facilitate its removal if it is so desired.

The inner container 6 comprises a top flange member 52 forming a cover which is provided with cylindrical shell member 54, and which may, if so desired, be made an integral part thereof as shown in Fig. 2, or it may be made a separate part, forming an independent cover member, as shown in Fig. 4.

The said cylindrical shell member 54 is provided with a cone shape extension 56 the small end of which, as at 58, is provided with suitable neck member 60 having its exterior surface provided with suitable thread 62, see Fig. 2, by means of which the fluid passage controlling member 64 is held in place, consisting of the said valve member IE! and the said vent passage I2; as shown,

and in order to prevent leakage of the said fluid from the said inner container 6, a suitable gasket member 65 is provided in-between the contact surfaces of the said neck member 60 and the said controlling member 64.

The said fluid passage controlling member 64 comprises, a flange member 68 interiorly of which a suitable thread is provided as at ID in order toengage the said thread 62 having a disc member I2 made an integral part thereof, of which, one side is provided with suitable boss member I4 which is provided with an extension 16 the purpose of which will be presently described.

The said boss member 14 is provided with suitable cup I8 which in its center has an orifice 8Q extending through the said disc member I2 and terminating with a tube member 82 which in combination forms the said vent passage I2 previously mentioned.

In the said extension T6 of the said boss member 74 is positioned a passage 84 wherein the said valve member ID is positioned, comprising a valve seat 86 adapted to receive a valve head 88 having a suitable stem member 90 extending through the said boss extension I6 and to which a suitable valve guide member 92 is attached, so that its rounded end 94 will bear against the said groove 34 supported therein by means of the spring member 96, which also keepsthe said valve head 88 in place within its seat 86, and, in order to allow the said ink fluid to pass from the said inner container 6 and through the said valve member ID, the said guide member 92 is provided with suitable flat surface 98, thus allowing said ink fluid to pass through the opening I created thereby, see Fig. 2.

Obviously it may be noted, that when the inner container 6 is turned, the valve member I0 will assume co-relative position in respect to the center, and while the said stem end 94 is placed within the said groove 34 the spring 96 will hold the valve I0 closed and prevent the escaping of the fluid through the passage Illfi, so that when it is desired to fill out the accumulating chamber 30 the inner container is turned sufiiciently to allow the said stem end 94 to bear against the said raise 35 which will cause the said valve IS to raise and allowing the fluid to pass from the said inner container 6 through the said passage Iiil into said accumulating chamber 30.

In the Fig. 4, the accumulating chamber 3|] is provided, with a channel I10 which is centrally positioned, see Figs. '7 and 8, having each end provided with suitable cup I12 of which, the one nearest to the said dipper I4 is adapted to intercommunicate the dipper dwell 26 by means of suitable passage I14.

In the inner container 6 a suitable cup member I76 is provided wherein the fluid passage I18 and the vent passage I2 is positioned, each having an extension I86 and 82 in form of a collar as shown and adapted to intercede the said cups 572 of the accumulating chamber 30 when in position.

The upper section I84 of the said inner container 6 is provided with suitable flange I86 so that it may rest upon a suitable gasket member I83 which is held in place by means of the internal rim section I90 of the said shell member 253, and. in order to hold the said inner container 6 in place, said shell member 20 at its interior surface is provided with a suitable groove I92, said groove being adapted to receive therein a spring member I94 which is provided with suitable loops I96 and which are adapted to bear against thesaid flange I86, thus allowing free and smooth rotary movement of the said inner container within the said outside container 4, however preventing the fluid evaporation therethrough.

The inner container 5 is enclosed at the top by means of a suitable cap member I 98, and in order to turn the said inner container 6 in either direction as it may be deemed necessary, said cap member I98 is provided with suitable lugs 2% for that purpose, which are held in engaged position by means of slots 2592, then, to prevent its loosening or becoming disengaged, the said cap member E98 is provided with a rim section 294 extending over the said shell member 20 as indicated, having at its internal side a groove 206 which is adapted to hold in place a snap spring member 268 and which is position-ed exteriorly of the said shell member 28 and within a suitable groove 2I0.

iii

In operation, when it is desired to fill the dwell 26 with fluid the cap member 8 is turned, allowing the slots 202 to engage the said lugs 20E], thus causing a rotary movement of the said inner container 6 so that the extensions I and I82, see Figs. 7 and 8, may intercede said cups 112 of the said accumulating chamber 3i! thus allowin only a limited amount of fluid to pass and accumulate therein.

While I have thus described my invention with great particularity it will be clear that the same may be modified throughout a wide range.

I accordingly do not propose to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown on the drawings and described in the specification, but reserve the rights in practice to make the necessary changes and modifications which may come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an ink well comprising, a pair of containers disposed one within the other forming a dispensing and accumulating chambers respectively, a valve means member associated with the said dispensing chamber of the inside container for controlling the fluid flow therefrom, ink fluid passage means positioned at the bottom of the said accumulating chamber for regulating the flow of the said fluid from the said dispensing chamber and through the said valve means, a cap means associated with said containers for controlling the position of the said valve means within said accumulating chamber in respect to the said fluid passage means and for controlling the fluid flow from one container into the other.

2. In the ink fluid dispensing apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination, an outside container having a base, a mid-section associated with said base and a shell member which is an integral part of the said mid-section and extending therefrom, an accumulating chamber formed at the bottom of the said midsection, for accumulating the said fluid therein, an ink dipper means associated with the said accumulating chamber having an inter-communicating passage forming a dwell for drawing the said ink fluid therefrom; an inside container, a top flanged member associated with the said inside container forming a cap, a cylindrical shell member extending out of the said top flanged member and disposed within the shell of the said outside container for closing and sealing the said containers when in assembled position, a conical shell an integral part of the said cylindrical shell extending therefrom and forming a neck member, a cap member enclosing the said neck member of the conical shell forming a dis-- pensing chamber of the said inside container, a valve means associated with the said cap member for controlling the passage of said ink fluid from the dispensing chamber into the accumulating chamber, a regulating groove means disposed at the bottom surface of the accumulating chamber for engaging the said valve means to regulate the flow of the ink fluid through the said valve means and from the said dispensing chamber into said accumulating chamber so as to prevent its evaporation, substantially as described.

3. In'the ink well of the class described, a pair of fluid containers disposed one within the other, the outside container having an accumulating chamber associated therewith for collecting the said ink fluid therein, the inside container having a dispensing cup member associated therewith for controlling and dispensing the ink fluid therefrom and into said accumulating chamber of said outside container, a dipper dwell associated with said outside container, a pair of cups having inter-connecting channel positioned within and at the bottom of the said accumulating chamber, a passage inter-connecting the said dipperdwell and the said pair of cups for allowing uninterrupted fluid flow therethrough, the combination of, a pair of fluid passage members having extensions the endsof which are positioned above the said pair of cups of the said accumulating chamber adapted for allowing the fluid to pass therethrough, and controlling means associated with the top member of the said inside container and the outside container for controlling the position of the said fluid passages and thereby controlling the fluid flow therethrough, substantially as described.

4. In the ink well of the class. described, a pair of fluid containers disposed one within the other, the outside container having an accumulating chamber associated therewith for collecting the ink fluid therein, the inside container having a dispensing cup member associated therewith for controlling and dispensing the said ink fluid therefrom and into said accumulating chamber, a dipper dwell member associated with the said outside container, a pair of cups having interconnecting channel positioned between said cups and disposed at the bottom of the said accumulating chamber, a passage member inter-connecting the said dipper dwell member including the said channel and at least one of the said cups for allowing an uninterrupted fluid flow therethrough, the combination of, a fluid passage member having a downward extension collar the end of which is positioned in juxtaposition to one of the said cups of the said accumulating chamber of the said inside container adapted for allowing the 1 of said inside container and the said outside container for controlling the position of the said fluid passages over said cups and thereby controlling the flow of the ink fluid therethrough, substantially as described.

PAUL A. WES'I'PHAL. 

